Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-10
THE BABY.
A Series Of Letters from Marion Har-
land to These Who are the Mothers
of Immortal Beings.
Baby's Table Manners-be Must be Iaush nj
to Eat Properly as Well as 10
Speak and Walk.
BY MARION HARLAND.

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stopped to look through gjess pqrtdon
into the dining-Toom set apart for the use
of "children under five years If age and
their nurses" The 'nuTsesn outDum-
bered the children two to one. There
were nurses in caps and nurses without
caps; nurses il the jaunty rig Of ladies'
maids Of various nationslities; turses
with white faces and nurses with quad
room compilations; six nurses wore coats
and pantaloons; two had nous achios
and side-whiskers. But for the an
nouncement in gilt letters on the door,
I should have mistaken them for
coachmen and Wallets. Between and
among the motley crew who were talking
hoisterously and dcvOuring vCracIously,
putting their knives down their threats.
drinking tea from sauCers, and with their
thumbs inside of tumblers, sat babies
from two 20 six years old, their quick
senses taking in every feature OF Inc
scene, repeated thrice per diem. They
learned many things more Objectionable
than that peas can be conveyed On the
knife 10 the mouth and meat be gnaWed
from the bones, but our business at pres
ent lies with the latter class Of accom-
pllshments.
Paua frCvTns and mamma signs over the
enigmatic8I perversity of children When
RObby pulls audibly on his mug of milk,
his eyes rolling over the top, and
sets it down empty with q loud "Ah-h!"
eats with his fingers; Sits the corner OF
his mouth with his knife, sops up gravy
and syrup from his plate with bread, and
will talk with his mouth full Both Opine
that children are naturally sl0yenly-papa
says "piggish," ana tries to shame the Of
fender by hints Of styCs and trOughs. Nam
ma lays line upon line and precept upon
percept TO such effect that the boy be-
comes really "pToper-msnnered" by the
time the family take their next summer
flight. La the autumn the work has all to
be done over AGAIN. That RObby is an
initiative animal counts for much in his
parents calculations, but not nearly
enough.
81 am actually afraid Of my children
when l see how quickly they contract my
worst habits" said one mother. The
good must be taught patiently. They
catch evil instinCtively."
There IS monastery in the n8attcr. That
which is seemly passes wi hOq1 comment.
a stain is Ob'rusive. RObOy eats as he l.
taught TO Go when the natural awkward
ness of exchanging spoon and bowl for
knife, fork and plate is surmOun ed.
Violations OF decent OrdeTIiness catch
his eye at once, even when mamma Is
guilty Of VIVA she has forbidden in him.
The spirit Of Juvenile adventure does the
rest. His table drill should begin from
the mOmert he is allowed TO fed him
self. Give him his own knit fork, spoon,
plate and mug, sDd make the bib q EeCes-
sary part Of the equipment. When he Is
promoted to q seat at the family liable, do
not make him the most important mem
Der of the circle. Let him await his turn
patiently. Discipline is as nGeGful Tor
the healJhfu growth of character as love
for the development Of the affections.
By teschiDg your child to give place to
his elders, You spare him mary battle
with his selfish will IN after years.
Insist that baby shall eat slowly and
neatly. Health depends upon thorough
mastication; decency eDj ms that he shall
not leave samples Of his food on cloth,
garments and lace. Do not ChIde or pun.
isk him for accidents when he has tried tC
behave well, but forbid him to play with
his victuals aud table furniture. He is nc
happier for being allowed TO mold his
bread into marbles, or pound the board
with mis- fists and silver mug,
or rattle spoon ard fork against
plate and cup. 1t is not essen
tial for right enjoyment and digestion
of what he eats that he should grease his
hands to the knuckles and besmear his
cheeks back to the ears and up to the
ewes Nor that he should champ and suck
chicken bones after tearing asuGder The
Joints. By the time he is FIVE years ole
he ought to eat with no mere noise and as
decorOuslV as his father does.
SHOW strange that young fellow who
is so gentlemanlY in other things should
lay his bread on the table, then butter i
back and forth, OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES fash
ion!" said hostess to a guest.
"His father does the same" was the
Cogent reply.
Dr.. Johnson declared the famous line
ssWho rules free men should himself bt
free" to be an idle play upon words. ga
WELL" he said, say, "Who drives fat oxe1
should himself be fat.''
There is no discount on the sentiment
"Who would have his children well-breC
must comport himself with prOpriety
Example goes so much further than pre-
Cept that the latter never Overtakes ant
thrOttles IT,
Having taught your boy to eat leisurel.
and noiselessly, and rather as If the bust
ness were an incident in the history o
the day than an epoch, do not vitiats the
effect of the course by boltpg your break
fast by the sqnsre inch, and flushing dOwl
the cubes with enormous draughts o.
LIQUID 1t is to your shame and his hur
that YOU "ask only five minutes" for TIT
morning meal, aud 'fcan dispose Of {
three-course dinner in ten minutes, upol
occasion" Your sons occasions are a
urgent in his eyes as are yours to you
He would like TO swallow soup, meat an(
pudding in five minutes and be OF to th'
playground as much as you desire 10 keel
your business engagements. If you hsy'
earned fer yourself the lasting penalty 0
an uneasy digestion, be merciful 20 him
No habits are unlearned with more diff
ficuItv than table usages, and in none il
the influence Of early education more 20
tent. The child who is allowed TO satisf.
his appetite in the easiest and swiftes
mode, TO sacrifice breeding to the claims
of hunger except when company" i
present, will forget, and st epportun'
times-when he is q man, the a7tifcis
polish gained in society. Oitener still
the polish does not stake" evenly-leaVe
the surface bare in spots. As with poo
Rosamond's silver paper, 1t Is not bi:
enough TO cover the whole basket. Whel
pulled or one side, it comes up on th'
other.
We meet them every day at your table
and at mine, the people who,1 feeding a
home twenty days in the month, dc. no
know to dine in friends houses on tn
o+bar +ap We sev Of this Vt>unO man